The mosaic-marquetry process is an ancient
decorative woodworking technique. The process is supposedly of Persian origin, later
passed on to the Moors in Northern Africa and finally appeared as embellishments on
guitars (principally as a rosette ornament around the soundhole) during the 800-year
Muslim occupation of Spain.

In 1999, tutorial student Gary Williamson asked me to
persuade my dear friend, the classical guitarmaker and master marqueter Alan Chapman, to
come in for a day and show us how he makes his fabulous rosettes. I kept a documentary
record of the process. Links to it are found below.

Rosette by Alan Chapman on a Cumpiano guitar made entirely of
undyed, natural woods.

This was the stuff Alan brought to
the shop in order to do the tutorial. He used my table saw with a fine slitting blade and
my drill press. Everything else he needed he brought in a large paper bag.

At left is Alan Chapman himself, a wonderfully talented luthier from whom I've learned
a great deal. Specializing in lattice-braced designs, Alan taught Industrial Arts for
years before entering luthierie, and currently builds world-class instruments for
prominent guitar teachers and recitalists, principally in the Eastern US.